by Martin Davies

THE CONJURER’S BIRD is a beautiful story in the spirit of POSSESSION that is as exciting as THE CLUB DUMAS, inspired by one of the great puzzles of natural history: that of the Mysterious Bird of Ulieta. Seen only once, in 1774, by Captain Cook’s second expedition to the South Seas, a single specimen was captured, preserved, and brought back to England. The bird was given to famed naturalist Joseph Banks, who displayed it proudly in his collection until its sudden, unexplained disappearance.